Two Middle Names?

Updated on
May 02, 2011

B.J.
asks from
Olathe, KS
on April 20, 2011

23
answers

My husband is the fourth, and I've gotten by not naming our first two sons after him, but he is really pushing for this last one because it probably will be our last child. I just really don't like the name at all. He wants to give him a name that we both agree on for his first name, and then use my husband's first and middle name as our sons middle name, thus giving him two middle names. So if we named our son John, and my husbands name is Billy Bob, It would be John Billy Bob Smith. I was just wondering if any of you have children with two middle names, and any implications that have come from it? I just worry about in school having to explain, or filling our forms and stuff how it all works. Maybe it's not as big of a deal as I'm making it out to be, and I should just do it?

Featured Answers

S.M.

I think its fine. My sister kept her last name so when they had a boy they gave him his first name and a middle name then used her last name then the daddy's last name. There has been no problems.

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

A.G.

answers from
Albuquerque
on
April 20, 2011

I have 2 middle names and its never been an issue for me. If something asks for a middle name i just use the 2 Initials

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

More Answers

S.S.

answers from
Cincinnati
on
April 20, 2011

my sons name is Nicholas Richard James, so yeah two middle names. my hubby are not sure if we will have anymore children (we want them but its kinda fincially tight with just one) so we both liked the name nicholas and decided we should each get to have a family name in there as well. richard is my hubbys dads name and james is the name of a friend of mine I have known since I was 5. When You fill out forms you would fill out both middle names if they ask for full middle name (like app for SS card) but just the initial of the first middle name (R for my son) on forms that just ask for middle intial. its not a big deal. its your kid give him as many names as you want!

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

D.P.

answers from
Pittsburgh
on
April 20, 2011

He can be "named" Rumplestiltskin and his nickname can still be whatever you want!

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

A.B.

answers from
Dallas
on
April 20, 2011

I don't know about 2 middle names, but for reasons I can only explain as "pregnancy brain", I ended up naming my daughter a name that wasn't my first choice and making my choice of her name her middle name. Guess what... we call her by her middle name! Her middle name IS her name. It is frustrating and annoying-- like when her name appears wrong in a year book or when someone calls her and she doesn't respond. My advice is simplicity is best. On most forms, he'll have to end up picking a middle initial, which will likely be the first of his two middle names, so just go with that!

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

M.J.

answers from
Sacramento
on
April 20, 2011

My dad has NO middle name and THAT is a hassle. He constantly has to explain that.

Two middle names I don't think is too odd. A friend who's Japanese-American just gave her daughter two middle names -- one English/American and one Japanese. I thought it was a beautiful idea. She also had two middle names growing up and in all the years we were friends in school as kids, I don't remember this ever being an issue for her.

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

C.J.

answers from
Milwaukee
on
April 20, 2011

Is it really Billy Bob or William Robert?

You could use William Robert and technically be correct! :)

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

K.I.

answers from
Los Angeles
on
April 20, 2011

Both my nephews have 2 middle names and it has not been a problem at all, anywhere... they are 15 and 11.

1 mom found this helpful

Report This

Comments(optional)

J.C.

answers from
St. Louis
on
April 20, 2011

My son has two middle names. Honestly, two middle names was just something I liked & one of his middle names is after a family member. It has not caused us any problems, however it is disappointing because for most purposes the 1st middle name is the one that is recognized. I have always just filled out forms using the two middle names & school, etc. have never questioned it. My second one is named after his father, with no alterations, at his father's request & it has never been something I am a fan of..just not my thing, either. Maybe if he would have had a cool name or came from a "legacy family" for lack of a better term, where it would help him along the way, I would feel differently. The reason it is a big deal is your child is "stuck" with this name for the rest of their life. I have a relative that her kid is (I think) the 4th & the "real name" is Charles that has been passed down & they have used nicknames, such as Chuck, (of course) & Chaise. I can see why if he is the 4th & your son would be the 5th it is important to your husband & I think you are doing your best to oblige & that's great!!

Report This

Comments(optional)

M.J.

answers from
Joplin
on
April 21, 2011

We named our last daughter with two middle names. Named her, our other daughter, 5 at time, thought we were naming her something else so we added that name too. So her name is Jule Elizabeth Madelyn. But when filling out things I just go with Jule Elizabeth. Sometimes I add both.

Report This

Comments(optional)

S.Z.

answers from
Los Angeles
on
April 26, 2011

I have two middle names as does my brother and my eldest son. There's no problems and it's a nice and convenient way to acknowledge those who need to be acknowledged.

Report This

Comments(optional)

J.J.

answers from
Los Angeles
on
April 20, 2011

My youngest daughter has 2 middle names & my hubby has 3. It seemed fitting to give her an extra name, because of her Dad & his sibs all having 3 middle names. One was his moms name & the other (Elizabeth) I picked to give that feeling of royalty :) It isnt awkward, but the second middle name isnt on all her documents, it does get omitted...or the initial is just used.

Report This

Comments(optional)

S.B.

answers from
Redding
on
May 02, 2011

Well, from what I can tell, having two middle names is the norm these days.
Both for girls and for boys.
I do birth certificates and somtimes there are three middle names.
It depends on what you feel is right for your child.

Best wishes.

Report This

Comments(optional)

R..

answers from
Chattanooga
on
April 20, 2011

My cousin named her DD after her hubby's grandma. The name was really stupid, but it was a family name and they wanted to keep it. Then they named her the name they wanted to call her as a middle name. They realized that her initials would be PMS, so they added another middle name. lol. There are no negative implications whatsoever. :)

Report This

Comments(optional)

B.S.

answers from
Lansing
on
April 20, 2011

I personally don't know anyone with two middle names. BUT....

I've never have been asked what either of my daughters middle name was since they've been born. In fact I can't remember the last time I told anyone my middle name. So I can't see why it would be a problem.

Report This

Comments(optional)

F.B.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 28, 2011

Both my sons have my last name as their 2nd middle name. For 90% of things, you only report the first middle name (most forms only give you a space for that). Sometimes I think the only space for it is on the birth certificate and SS card.

Report This

Comments(optional)

B.R.

answers from
St. Louis
on
April 21, 2011

My brother is 35 years old and he has 2 middle names and has had no problems with it. My husband is 40 and he also has 2 middle names and also has had no problems with it. My husbands family - all the boys have 2 middle names and my step son also has 2 middle names and I fill out a lot of paper work for him and it's not difficult. It's not uncommon for men to have 2 middle names.

Report This

Comments(optional)

C.B.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 20, 2011

if he's the fourth, the new baby would only be the fifth if it's exactly the same as his, right? so "name" him that, and then come up with a nickname. will you love your son less? nope!

but SINCE you asked, no, two middle names is not a big deal...

Report This

Comments(optional)

R.J.

answers from
Salt Lake City
on
April 20, 2011

My husbands first name is his fathers name he goes by his middle name. He has his fathers first and last name for the same reason also at the time he was the last of the name. Example- fathers name is John Jones- My husbands name is John Scott Jones- we call him Scott. So you could give your son the first name and the last name and he could go by his middle name. My oldest boy has this name for a middle name and my youngest has his dad's middle name.

Report This

Comments(optional)

B.C.

answers from
Norfolk
on
April 20, 2011

Some people have more than one middle name.
Just look at Prince William who's full name is
William Arthur Philip Louis (Windsor).
If you happen to come from India or some other parts of the world,
5 to 7 middle names is fairly common.
That many middle names wreaks havoc with employee databases but 2 should not be a problem.

Report This

Comments(optional)

J.N.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 20, 2011

Our daughter has two middle names. We named her after a Great Grandmother, my mother, and the third name starts with the letter E which covers the first initial of several Aunts. Cora Alexandra Evette is a mouth full, but everyone calls her Cora. I have never had a problem with forms or enrolling her in school. I just write two names or put two initials on the middle name line of any form. Multiple names are a tradition in some families. Some cultures even add in all the god parents names in the middle. I had a friend from Spain who had four middle names. Good Luck,

J. N.

Report This

Comments(optional)

K.K.

answers from
Austin
on
April 20, 2011

One of my daughters has 2 middle names. I wanted to honor my cousin and my mom. It has never been a problem. If I have to fill out paperwork and just use a middle initial I use the first initial of the first name.

Report This

Comments(optional)

R.H.

answers from
Boston
on
April 20, 2011

A friend of mine named her son after her husband, so her son is so-and-so-the-fifth, but they call him by his middle name because she really doesn't like her husband's first name. Do you happen to like your husband's middle name? If not I'd probably just give the boy the name you guys both like, your husband's first name as your son's middle name and leave it at that. Why does he also have to have your husband's middle name since, technically speaking, he's not actually going to be a fifth (different first name)? I dont' think it's a big deal to have two middle names but I think it might be strange to give both of your husband's names to the third child.